Train-pipe coupling.



J. A. HALBROOK a M. J. WILLMS.

TRAIN PIPE CQUPLING. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1908.-

Patented Dec. 15, 1908 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

'L hmm! Wil/m0.

attenua xr! J. A. HALBROOK c M. J. WILLMS. TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.APPLIUATION ILED JUNE 4, 190e.

906,527. Patented Dee. 15,1908

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. A. HALBROOK 6L M. J. WILLMS.

Mib/fences TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLOATION FILED JUNE 4,1908.

Patented Deo. 15, 1908 3 SHEBTS-SHEBT 3.

Hierauf States, residin .ments in train-pipecouplin raam-riencorrettive.

Speccation o1 Lettere Patent,

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

Application 'filed June 1l, i998. Serial No, 236,722.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH A. HALnnook and Mismo J. VILLMS, citizens ofthe United g at Bridgeport, in the countjv of Douglas, State oflVashington, have invented certain new and use'lul lmproif'ements inTrain-Pipe Couplings; and we do hereby declare the followingy to be afull, clear, and exact description of the inventio11,'such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

The present invention relates to improve4 gs, and particu4 larlj7 tothat class oi air couplings which are automatically connected as thecars come to- `gethcr, the especial object of the invention being theprovision ot a supporting device for the coupling menibers which isconstructed in such a manner as to permit them to yield both laterallyvand vertically, as well as cndwisc, thus accommodating themselves toditlereuces in height in mating the couplings of adjacentcars, and toinequalities in the road bed or when the train is traveling aroundcurves.

With the above and other ends in View, the invention eoniprisesprimarily, a male and a female coupling member supported in trout andrear depending brackets secured to the bottom of the car, the rearbracket consisting of a pair of annular members or rims each having aseries of peripheral slots 'formed therein, and a 'hub provided with aseries ol spokes extending looselj7 through the slots, each spokecarrjrv` it; a coil spring, thusl ftu'minn' what is tantamount to auniversal joint between the hub and rim, and permitting the couplingmember, whose stein extends loosely through the bore o'l the. hub tomove. both vertically and sidewise, in either direction.

rl`he preferred embodiment. ot the invention is illustrated in thcaccompanying drawings` in which corresponding parts, or features, as thecase n'naybe, are designated by the same reference numerals throughoutthe several Views. p

Ot `the said drawings, Fi; 1urel l is a bottom Aplan view of theadjacent ends o f two the improved air-pipe cars equipped with couplers.Fig, 2 Fig.l Bis anenl the valve.

urged ongitudinal section of Fig. et is a, detail view of the is a sideelevation thereof.

front bracket. Fig. 5 is a similar View of the rear bracket, the rims oranni'ilai` members being shown partlj-7 in section.

Referring more particularly tothe drawings, A and B designate,respectively, the two cars and C and l) the members for coujilingI thesame together, said members being ot any preferred vpe and having theirrear ends pivotcd to the cars and their forward ends projcct'ini,rbeyond the car ends as shown. To the bottom o t' eachcar is secured apair of depending brackets l and which arc arranged in spaced relationto and parallel with cach othe and are disvmsed transverse] f ct tbecars and of the l coupling members. Each front bracket l is providedwith a downwardly extending seat It through which the correspondingcouplingmember C or D extends, the width o said seats being sufliriently`great to permit the requisite swingingr movement of'said members whenthe train is passing' around a curve. e

The rear brackets more important feat each consist of a pa Yt`rames.'tprovided W longitudinal pc 2 which include thc ures of the invention irof annular rims or ith a series of alining ripheral slots 5, each framebeing formed o a pair of straps whose upper ends G fit flush against thebottom of the car and are bolted thereto, and whose lower portions arebowed outwardly in opposite directions, as indicated .by die numeral 7,the adjacent ends ot the bent portions of each pair of straps beingbolted together. Disposed centrally or' each frame is a hub 8 providedwith a series of radiating spokes t), which are formed integraltherewith and have their free ends projecting through the adjacent slots5. Each hub has formed therethrough an axial bore l() which is disposeddirectly in t alincment with bracket l. The two annular members or'trames ot' each rear bracket are disposed in spaced relation to eachother and are. connected together by means ot a metal strap 19 betweenwhich latter and the bottongot thc cars the rear portions of thecoupling members C and D pass.v Each rear bracket is connected with theadjacent front bracket by means of a pair of yinverted il-shaped he rearot, and thus in an opening 1l formed ,j through the corresponding end ofthe front 40 through the bore 10 ot' 60 at its inner end with the bore2T.

end of each leg 28 is arranged to receive the inner end of an ordinaryhose pipe 29, to perstraps 13 :whose apexes are bolted to the bottoms ofthe cars. The hubs 8 above referred to are held normal-ly in centralposition by means ot' a series of eXpansible coil springs let whichembrace thespokes 9 and bear 'at opposite ends against the hub and.

against aiseries ot' sliding' Washers 15 carried by the spokes, saidWashers being held against the inner peripheral Walls of the 10 framesby the tension of the springs.

The air pipes 16 carried by the cars are connected together by means oita' pair of couplers, each of `Which includes a male member 17 and afemale member 1S disposed longitudinally of the cars and arrange inspaced relation to and parallel With each other, the female member ot'each coupler being disposed directly `in alinement with the male memberof the opposite 20 coupler, so as to receive the saine when the cars areconnected together by the interengageinent of the members C and D.-

Each male member consists primarily of a tubular rod 19 whose -frontportion extends loosely through the right hand opening 11 in the bracketl, While its rear portion extends tlirough the bore 10 of the hubcarried by the adjacent frame 4, the first-nien tioned portion of eachmember terminating in a frusto-conical head 2O provided With acylindrical packing ring 21 formed of rubber or other suitable material,said head being adapted to tit in the funnel or bell shaped mouth 22 ofthe opposite female member, said mouth tting in the socket formed in asleeve 23 secured to the forward end ot` the rod 19, which forms thebody portion ot the female member and extends through the' adjacentopening l1 and hub 8. c

The rear ends of cach pair ot' rods 19 and 19 are titted in the forwardends ot' tiexible pipes 24C and 2st whose rear ends are in turn tittedupon the reduced free ends ot vthe legs Q5 and 25 formed upon theforwardend ot'Y a branch couplerQ6,said coupler having formed therein alongitudinal boie 27 in whose rear end is fitted the free end ot' theadjacent air supply pipe 16. The forward end ot' the bore ot eachcoupler 26 terminates in two branches which communicate with the hollowlegs 25 and Q5', thus establishing communication between the branchcoupler and the male :1nd female members 17 and 18 through the mit a carprovided wit-lr a pipe coupler ot' the character described to be coupledwith the corresponding -the body of said coupler.

`the male and female members, this being ac complished by means ot anangle cock 3U which extends through the branch coupler at thc giunctionof the legs 25 anld QLiwith ai'e provided with pipe couplers ot' theabovedescribed type7 comnuini'cation between the supplemental legs otlthc branch couplers and the air supply pipes is cutout by means ot'similar cocks 3l,

Owing to the fact that the rear portions of the rods lt) and 19 extendthrough the openings toi-med in the hubs, which latter are yieldingl)yconnected with lh"` corresponding annular trames, and are normallydisposed exactly centrally thereof, it will be apparent that when twocars are to be con- .uected together. the male and female memll'hereboth cars bers will be disposed in position tor automatic engagementwith each other snnul- Y taneously with the engagement otl the niembersC and D. It will likewise be apparent that after thecars have beencoupled to# gether, the yieldingly supported hubs will permit thecoupling members to accommo date themselves to inequalities in the roadbedfand also when the train is passing around curves, lthe manner inwhichl said hubs are Isupported permitting both lateral and verticalmovement thereof.

The invention further contemplates the provision ot means tor permittinglongitudinal movement ot both members of the pipi` coupler in'eitherdirection, whereby the)Y can :icconnnodatc themselvcsto the movements otthc cars towards and troni cach other. To this end, cach maleI member isprovided with a pair ot' cxpansible coil s rings 32 and 2525 disposedupoii opposite sidiis oi" the bracket l through which the member passes,said springs bearing against the bracket. at their mutually-:uljacentinner ends, while their outer ends bcar against collars SS--t securedrtothe rod portion ot thc member. In like manner7 the rod portion ot' cachfemale member carries a pair ot similar .springs and 233 whose innerends bear against the brackets l, the outer cnd ol' cach -spring 31bearing against the rear cnd otl the adjacent sleeve 23, while the outerend of cach spring 33 bears against a collar itt', owing to whichconstruction, it. will be apparent that a bodily longitudinal movementot' tlu` couplers is possible. and also that cithcr mcnibcr ot' eachcoupler can move lnngitudiimltv with respect to thc other memberthereof. l `nrthermore, the employment of a branch coupler constructedas above described, permits.

a car equipped with an ordinary hose coupling only', to be coupledto'one provided with a coupler comprising a male and a tef male memberand a hose coupling, in which instance, thesupply of fluidv may be shutoff from said members by means of the angle cock. t

lVhat is claimed is:

l. The combination of a pipe-coupler; a vertical supporting bracketcomprising a pair of straps having the lower portions thereof bent inopposite directions to form a skeleton frame, the adjacent ends of saidbent portions being connected together; and a hub disposed centrally ofsaid frame and yieldingly connected therewith for vertical and lateralmovement with respect thereto,

said hub being provided with a bore through which said coupler extends.

2. The combination of a pipe-coupler; a vertical supporting bracketcomprising a pair of straps having`V the loweixportions thereof bent inopposite directions to form a skeletonframe, said bent portionsbeingprovided with alining longitudinal slots and having their adjacent endsconnected together; ai hub disposed centrally of said frame andyieldingly connected therewith, for vertical and lateral -movement withrespect thereto, said hub being provided with a bore through which saidcoupler extends; and a series of spokes carried by said hub and havingtheir free ends projecting through said slots. v

The combination of a pipe-coupler; a vertical supporting bracketcomprising a pair .fof straps having the lowerxportions thereof bent inoppositey directions to form a skeletomframe, said bent portions being'provided with alining longitudinaly slots and having their adjacentends connected together; a ,hub disposed centrally of said lframe andprovided Awith a bore through which said couplerv extends; la series ofspokes carried by said hub and having their free ends projecting throughsaid slots; and a series of springs embracing saidspokes and bearing atopposite ends against said hub and said frame, to permit llfteral and i4 vertical movement of saidhub with respect to said frame.

et. The .combination of apipe-coupler comprising a male and afemalemember and a plpe connected to each member; a Huid supply pipe; ahollow branchcoupling connected at its rear end to the free end ofI thesupply pipe, and provided at its forward end with a pair of legsconnectedV t0 the first-mentioned pipes, and with a supplemental leg; ahose-pipe connected at its rear end to saidsupplemental leg; andseparate means carriedby said branch-coupling, for shutting oli' thesupplyof fluid from said first-mentioned pipes, and from said hosepip'e.

The combination of a pipe-coupler,

comprisingv a` male and a. female member,

and a pipe connected to each member; a fluid supply pipe; a branchcoupling having a longitudinal bore opening through the rear end thereofand provided at its forward end with a pair of hollow diver-ging legsand intermediate its ends with a supplemental hollow leg, said diverginglegs being connected to the free ends of the firstmentioned pipe; ahose-pipe having its rearl end connected to said supplemental leg; andseparate means for shutting off the supply of fluid from saidsupplemental leg and from sald dlvergmg legs.

member extends, said members being yieldingly connected with said frameto permit vertical and lateral movement of said coupling members withrespect to said frames.

7. The combination, of a pipe-coupler, comprising a male and a femalemember; front and rear depending brackets arranged parallel with eachother and transversely with respect to said coupling members, the frontbracket having a perforation formed in each end thereof through whichthe adjacent coupling member extends; a skeleton frame located at eachend of the rear bracket and forming a portion thereof, each frame bein0Fprovided with a plurality of alining longitudinal slots; a supportingmember disposed centrally of each frame and provided .with a borethrough which the adjacent coupling member extends; a series `of spokescarried by each supporting member and .having their free ends projectingthrough said slots; and yielding connections between each frame and thecorresponding supporting member, to permit a vertical and lateralmovement of said coupling members with respect lto 'said frames.

8. The combination, with a car and a car coupler secured to the bottom.of the car, of f front and rear dependinv transverse brackets arrangedparallel with and in spaced relation to each other, the front bracketbeing provided adjacent each end with an opening,

and intermediate its ends with la downwardly extending seat throughwhich the car coupling extends; a pie-coupler comprising a male and afema e member, said members extending through the openings in said frontbracket; a skeleton frame located at each end of the rear bracket andforming av part thereof; and e -slppozting member In testimony whereof,We-axouij signedisposed Ieeititielljy of" each freine and, pof tures inpresence of two Witnesses. vided 'vyith a boite through which the edje-JGSEPH A HLBRQK. cent pipe coupling member extends, seid MENG J WLLMSsupporting members being 'yielably eonnected with said frame, to permitvertical Witnesses: and lateral movement of said pipe coupling JOSEPHBOUSKA,

-members With respect to said frames. JOSEPH W. BOUSKA.

